Constant water-supply system



Dec. 30, 1930. M. 1. WEH. 1,786,804

CONSTANT WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM File d March 26. 1928 [[7 INVENTOR.

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, claimed.

Patented Dec 30, 1930 UNITE. STATES v 1,786,8htl

PATENT OFFICE MAURICE I. WEIL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO PUMP COMPANY, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CONSTANT WATER-SUPPLY SYSTEM Application filed March 26, 1928, Serial No. 264,817.

This invention relates to constant water supply systems, and its principal objectis to provide automatically controlled means for constantly supplying water under pressure to the upper floors in relatively tall buildings, regardless of the fluctuation of pressure in the main supply or service pipe.

It is well known that the pressure in the city water supply sometimes becomes so low that the Water is' not available in the upper stories of relatively tall buildings, for instance, in buildings of three or four stories high. Such low pressure occurs particularly in the summer when agreat deal of nter is being used for sprinkling purposes, and it sometimes occurs when there is a fire in the locality and consequently a large quantity of water is withdrawn from the water mains for extinguishing the fire. The water pres sure being thus lowered, persons in the upper floors of a building are unable to obtain water. In accordance with the presentinvention, water is constantly supplied to the upper floors depsite the fluctuations of the pressure inthe mains, and the means for supplying the water is entirely automatic in its operation requiring the ordinary care and attention for its maintenance.

The invention consists, therefore, in a pump having its auction end and its discharge end connected to the main water supply pipe of the building in which the system isiinstalled, and having a pressure switch in communication with its suction end,-'arranged'to cause the pump to be started whenever the pressure at'the suction end falls below a pre determined point. The invention further consists in apparatus as above set forth in which the suction end ofthe pump is in communication with an air cushion which is also connected with the pressure switch, whereby ordinary fluctuation of pressure may not cause operation of the switch.

The invention further consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and v "The invention is clearly i'llustrated-in'the drawing accompanying this specification in which the figure is a diagrammatic View illustrating one applicatlon of the lnventlon.

Referring to said drawing, which illustrates a simple embodiment of the invention, the reference character 10 designates the main 7 water supply pipe of a building, which pipe is usually connected with the water mains in the street, leads to the top of the building and has branches at the several floors provided with the usual faucets through which water is discharged. As is well understood, the normal city'water pressure is sufficient to raise the water to the upper end of the water supply pipe 10, but when the pressure therein falls, the water flows very slowly through the faucets at the higher levels and sometimes it entirely stops, depending, of course, upon the pressure in the mains.

In order to preserve a substantially constant water supply at the higher floors, I provide a water pump 11, preferablyin the form of an electric motor driven rotary water 76 pump, and connect the suction end 12 of the pump with the main water supply pipe 10 by a branch pipe 13. The discharge end 11- of the pump also is connected to the main water supply pipe by a branch pipe 15. Suitable T couplings and elbow fittings are provided, as is well understood, for making the connections between the branch pipes 13' and 15 and the main water supply pipe 10. The 7 electric motonfor operating the pump is seen 80 at 16 and is connected to the pump by a shaft l7. Conveniently, the motor and pump are mounted upon a base 18 and form a unitary structure, although this is not necessary to the invention, broadly considered. I

Inter-posed in the main water supply pipe 10, between its connections with its branch pipes 13 and 1.3 is a check valve 19 opening in the direction of the arrow thereon, which valve permits the passage of water through 90 the main water supply pipe past the connection with the branch pipe 13, but prevents the pump from forcing water back into the mains. If desired, manually operated valves 20 may be interposed in the 'mainwater'sup' I Connected with the suction end of the pump 11 is a pressure switch 21 of any suitable construction, which pressure switch is interposed in the electric circuit for the electric motor 16. The electric wires 22 for the motor usually run to a control switch 23 and from thence through the pressure switch 21 and to the motor. The pressure switch is set so as to close the circuit to the motor whenever the pressure on the suction side-of the pump falls below a predetermined amount, and to break the circuit to the motor whenever the pressure reaches a predetermined high point.

As shown, the pressure switch 21 is con nected to the branch pipe 13 by a pipe Ql in which maybe interposed an air cushion 25, here shown in the form of a tank into which .lll under pressure is admitted, which has substantially the same pressure as that of the normal pressure in the water mains. A pressure gauge 26 is usually provided on the pipe Ql, whereby the pressure on the suction side of the pump may be observed, particularly when setting the pressure switch. A pressure gauge 27 may also be provided on the discharge side of the pump, which pressure gauge is connected to the branch pipe 15 by a pipe 28.

Conveniently-a ball valve or other check valve 29 is provided upon the pipe 24, through which ball valve compressed air may be introduced to the pressure switch 2st when adjusting the same. A valve 80 is interposed in the pipe at between the pressure switch and air cushion 25, which valve may be closed when setting the pressure switch. Said valve, however, is normally open in order that the pressure switch may be constantly in communication with the suction end of the pump.

In the operation of the apparatus, the pressure switch is adjusted so as to close the circuit to the electric motor whenever the pressure on the suction end of the pump falls below a predetermined point. The pressure switch. is adjusted when the apparatus is installed, and, at that time, the valve 30 is closed and a hand pump or other small air pump'is connected to the ball valve 29 and the pressure in the pressure switch raised to a pressure corresponding to that of the normal pressure in the water mains. The pressure applied to the pressure switch is indicated by the pressure gauge 26, and by adjusting the mechanism of the pressure switch, it may be set so as to close the circuit to the motor when the pressure falls below the predetermined one, and to break the circuit whenever the pressure reaches a high predetermined point. The valve 30 is then opened and the apparatus is in condition for operation.

\Vhen the air cushion 25 is employed, compressed air is supplied to it, for instance, by the same hand pump that is used in setting the pressure switch, the pressure in the air cushion being raised to one corresponding to the pressure in the water mains, It will be understood that when the pressure in the water mains, and, consequently, in the water supply pipe 10 remains at. normal, water will be available at the top of the water supply pipe 10 as welras at any other place in its length, and while. the pressure is normal the motor and pump will remain idle.

In case the pressure on the suction side of the pump is temporarily lowered, the pressure in the air cushion will serve to prevent the pressure switch from closing the circuit to the motor, but in case the pressure in the water supply pipe falls considerably and the pressure remains low for a suflicient length or time to lower the pressure in the pressure switch beyond the predetermined low point, then the pressure switch closes the circuit and starts the motor. The pump thereupon operates to draw the water from the main water supply pipe 10 and through the branch pipe 13 and discharge it through the branch pipe 15 and into the water supply pipe 10 at the other side of the check valve 19, thereby forcing the water to the highest outlets or faucets connected to the water supply pipe and its branches, and the pump continues to operate so long as the pressure on its suction side remains below the normal pressure in the water mains.

As soon as the pressure in the water mains has been restored to normal, the pressure switch is againaetuated and the circuit to the motor is broken, whereby the operation of the pump is stopped and water is supplied to the highest points in the water supply pipe by the city pressure. It will be observed that the operation of the apparatus is entirely automatic, and that the operation of the pump is controlled by variations of pressure at its suction side.

More or. less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit, of this invention. I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of the construction shown and described, but intend, in the following claims, to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

I claimas new, and desire to' secure by Letters Patent:

1. A water supply system comprising, in combination, a water supply pipe, two branch pipes leading therefrom, a motor operated pump having its suction end and its dis charge end connected to said branch pipes, there being a check valve in said water supply pipe between its connections with the suction'end and discharge end of the pump, and a motor controlling pressure operated switch, in communication with the suction end of the pump.

2. A water supply system comprising, in

ing its suction end connected to said incomthe suction end of the combination, a water supply pipe, two branch pipes leading therefrom, an electric motor driven rotary water pump having its suction end and its discharge end connected to said branch pipes, there being a check valve in said water supply pipe between its connections with the suction end and discharge end of the pump and a pressure switch in communication with the suction end of the pump and interposed in the electric circuit for the motor, said switch being arranged to close the circuit to the motor whenever the pressure at the suction side of the pump falls below a predetermined point. i

3. A water supply system comprising in combination a city Water supply pipe having anincoming and an outgoing section, and

an upright part connected to said outgoing section for supplying water to higher elevations, an electric motor operated pump having section and its discharge end connected to said outgoing section of the water supply pipe and arrangedto force water only into the outgoing section of the water supply pipe, and a pressure switch in communication with pump, said pressure switch being controlled solely by variations of pressure in said incoming section of the water supply pipe and acting to start and stop the electric motor of the pump.

MAURICE I. WEIL. 

